Fire-alarm-telegraph system



(No Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 1.

No. 426,691. Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

Ce ntnl Office (No Model.) .3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. SPEIOHER & F. T. PEAREY. FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

No. 426,691. Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

Signal Box WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

(No Model.) 4 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J.-SPEIOHER & P. T. FEAREY.

FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

No. 426,691. Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

F 5, I H; 9: 9.

MM\ ATTY'S. I

UNITED STATES ATENT JOHN SPEICHER, OF JERSEY CITY, AND FREDERICK T. FEAREY, OF NEW'ARK, NE\V JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO THE NEIVARK DISTRICT TELEGRAPH COM PANY, OF NEIV JERSEY.

FlRE-ALARM-TELEG RAPH SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,691, dated April 29, 1890.

Application filed February 15, 1889. Serial No. 299,971. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN SPEIOHER, of Jersey City, Hudson county, and FREDERICK T. FEAREY, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm-Telegraph Systems; and we do hereby declare the following to be a'full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, I 5 which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in fire-alarm telegraphy whereby the extension-circuit system, such as is described in the specifications of prior applications,

more particularly in the one serially numbered 287,726, (now patent numbered 416,513,) maybe applied effectually, economically, and conveniently to certain of the fire-alarm boxes commonly known in the market, the

construction of which being well known it is deemed unnecessary'to illustrate the same more fully.

Other boxes-such as a certain old style or variety ofthe Gamewell boxes-may receiveour improvements.

.The invention consists in the improved system of fire-alarm telegraphy and in the arrangements and combinations of parts thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, embraced in three sheets, in which like letters and numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1, Sheet 1,

indicates in a general plan the system embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the improved box, in detail, showing its connection with the circuit. Fig. 3 is a side View, the sides of the box and interior case being broken away to show the relations of the working parts to one another more clearly. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line to, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a rear view of a stop cap or block for limiting the downward movement of the pullbar on the door of the box. Fig. 6 is a re duced elevation of the inside of the door; and Figs. 7, 8, and flare detail views of an escapement-pivot.

In said drawings, a a indicate the main-circuit wires, on which the ordinary streetboxes I) b, commonly found in the streets of a municipality, are stationed.

0 indicates the central office, in which the battery (I, bells, and other devices for producing the alarm, are situated, and e c are extensions of the main-circuit wire, which center at or connect at both the negative and positive ends of said extensions, with the said ordinary street-boxes. Upon each of said extensions e are stationed what we have termed extension-boxes f, or boxes for private use arranged on the extension-lines.

Heretofore, or in the systems now in common use, the district or street boxes while comparatively convenient to a few living within easy access of them necessitated even to those living nearest a loss of time in trans- I mitting an alarm, which gave headway to the fire and resulted in serious loss. To avoid this delay, auxiliary circuits, or circuits controlled by local batteries independent of the central-station battery (I, have been provided; but these required large additional cost in the initial construction of the plant and required constant attention to keep them in proper condition, and, furthermore, were open to improper manipulation and the effects of frost or cold, and were thus constantly and greatly liable to become disarranged or rendered inoperative.

In our improved system the use of auxiliary circuits is entirely dispensed with, and the one main circuit is extended into the private residences, factories, &c., of subscri'ocrs, where the boxes thereon are immediately accessible to the person discovering the fire. Thus the person making the discovery may first send out the alarm and afterward lend his personal endeavors toward extinguishing the incipient confiagration as he could not were he compelled first to travel several blocks to a neighborhood box, find a key, &c., before sending out the alarm, and this is done without the use of auxiliary circuits and batteries and the disadvantages occurring therefrom. Further more, in the use of the particular auxiliary circuits referred to, a single change in the circuit was sui'licient to produce an alarm, and thus should a wire be inadvertently broken or other disconnection or break be made a false alarm would be transmitted.

In the improved system a series of breaks on the extension-wires is necessar to effect the desired alarm, thus precluding the possibility of a false alarm because of a single break.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 more particularly, 1) indicates the outer case of the ordinary district-firc-alarm box arranged on the body portion a of the main circuit a.

g indicates the inner case,having the ordinary circuit-wheel for breaking or changing the relation of the terminals of the body portion of the main circuit a.

it indicates the ratchet-wheel of the usual governor; r', the pawl thereof, and j the fan, connected with said pawl for regulating and controlling. the speed of the circuit-wheel train in the usual manner.

k is a lever arranged on the outside of the inner case, adapted to be engaged by a projection Z, formed on or secured to a sliding bar on, Figs. 3 and 6, arranged on the back of the door a. To said baris secured a hook or pull 0, which works in a slot in the door and allows of the bar m being drawn down.

\Vhen a fire occurs, the alarmist draws down the pull, and this action causes the lever k to turn on its axis or fulcrum 7t and wind up the circuit-wheel train. On releasing the said pull and lever the said circuit-wheel train makes automatically a return movement, which eifeets an alarm in the usual way. To effect this result electrically from a distant point on an extension of the main circuit, and thus save the loss of time caused by running to the district-box, and avoid the disadvantages incident to the use of auxiliary batteries, we have provided the following mechanisms: W p is an eleetro-magnet suitably secured in the box I), which said magnet is wound with wires g, which are finer or have greater resistance to the so-called flow of electricity than the wires of either the body portion a or extension 6 of the main circuit a. Said magnet-wires connect with the main circuit a at '1' r, where the body portion a and extension 6 unite with one another or at any other suitable point between the extension-boxes and the terminals of the body portion of the main circuit in the district-box, as will be understood.

.9 indicates a lever provided with an armature t, controlled by the magnet 2'). Said 1ever is fulcrumed at a and is normally held away from the magnet by a spring 4' in any suitable manner.

10 indicates an adjusting serew for regulating and limiting the distance of movement of the lever away from the magnet. The said lever at the end opposite that having the spring-connection is provided with a pintle or lateral projection 2, adapted to engage with a series of co-operating projections of an es capemen t-segm cut 4:. Said projections are arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 2, or in any equivalent manner, so that by a vi bra tory movement of the levers, occasioned by a series of changes in the extension portion 6 of the main circuit, the said pintle alternately engages first the inner and then the outer proj ections 3, and the escapement-segment drops by gravity step bystep, and is finally released from said lever.

The escapementsegment l is carried by a pivoted shaft 5, and serves to turnv the same pivotally by the gravitation thereof, as will be evident. Said shaft serves as a stay or support for a locking-rod 6, which extends up into the inner case 1 and engages anyof the operating parts within the same to prevent them from moving. The said rod 6 preferably engages the governing-fan '23, preventing the same from vibrating; but it may engage any of the cogs or other parts of the circuit-wheel train. At the lower end the 1ocking-shaft is engaged by a spring 7, which, when employed at all, serves to facilitate the dropping or fall ing of the bar (3, and also tends to steady the said bar and hold it more securely on the pivotal shaft 5. The pivotal shaft is notched or rendered eccentric at 8, Figs. 3, 7, and S, at a point in line with the bar 6, so that when the said pivot is turned under the influence of the escapement and the notch brought into line with the bar the latter will drop by gravity or under the influence of the spring, and thus release the circuit-wheel train. The said loekingrod U is also thrown from its bearings on the pivotal shaft 5 by an extension 9 of the lever It, so that when thedistrict box is pulled, or the mechanism therein is caused to change the circuit by an operator acting directly at said box, such direct opera tion will not be prevented or obstructed by the locking mechanism.

The downward movement of the lever is is limited by a stop or fixture 10, by which the lever on being forced downward will be prcvented from forcing the locking-bar so far aside as to bend, break, or disarrange the same.

In connection with this stop we also employ a stop cap or block 11, which, when resetting the box after it has been pulled, is arranged on it or in connection with the ends of said stop 10, so that the lever 7: cannot be drawn down in setting to such a distance as that the extension 9 will throw the locking-bar from its bearings and cause a false alarm.

The extension-boxes are provided with cir cuit changing mechanism such as illustrated in application, Serial No. 287,082, filed Oct-(r her -3, 1888, in which. a box is shown having terminals and mechanisms for producing a tion, as by children playing with the devices in the private houses, will be avoided.

In operating the systems in accordance with our own improvements by operating the extension-box circuit-changing mechanism and producing a'series of breaks or changes the current which normally flows over main circuit is interrupted in passing over the extension portion thereof and is forced through the wires q, causing the magnet 19 to attract its armature, producing a series of vibrations and finally a release of the looking-bar and the circuit-wheel train of the district-box.

It will be clearly apparent that detail changes may be made when adapting our improvements to other boxes than those above referred to without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

\Vhat we claim as new is v 1. In a fire-alarm box, the combination, with the circuit-wheel train inclosed in an inner case g, a locking-bar 6, controlled by an escapement, a magnet 19, an armature t, arranged on a lever 8, said lever extending from engagement with said circuit -wheel train through said easing into engagement with said escapement, whereby the said circuitwheel train may be released after a series of changes or impulses produced by the magnet-train, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fire-alarm-telegraph system, the combination, with the fire alarm box circuitwheel train, a lock 6, for preventing the operation of the said train, a segment 4, for releasing or unlocking said look, a lever for preventing the turning of the segment, an

armature co-operating with the segment and magnet, and an extension-wire connecting with the main circuit and controlling said magnet, and a private box arranged on said extension -wire and provided with circuitchanging mechanisms, and a handle for operating the same, all arranged and combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a fire-alarni-telegraph system, the combination, with the outer box or case b, a circuit-wheel train and circuit-Wheel arranged within an inner casing g, alocking-bar 6, extending from the outside of said inner casing into engagement with said circuit-wheel train within said casing, a notched pivot 5, ar-

ranged in suitable bearings within said box outside of said inner casing, segment 4, projections 3, lever 0, having projections 2, armature t, magnet 19 on wires q, circuit to, having body portion a and extension e, extension box f, and battery d, all arranged and combined substantially as and for the purpose set fort-h.

4. In a fire-alarm-telegraph system, the main circuit connecting with the central office and having a district-box thereon, a circuit- Wheel train and circuit wheel, and hand mechanisms for operating the same, whereby an alarm may be transmitted from said district-box to said central office directly from said box, an extension-wire of said main circuit connecting with said main circuit at said box and controlling a lock therein, and an extension-box stationed on said extensionwire and containing circuit-breaking mech anisms and a handle for operating the same, whereby the box in said districtbox may be unlocked from said extension-box and the alarm transmitted to the central office, the said lock consisting of a sliding bar adapted to engage the circuit-Wheel train of the district-box, an armature-lever, a step-by-step escapement, and a magnet controlled by the extension-wire, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination, in a fire-alarm-district box, the circuit-wheel train, havinga governing-fan j, rod or bar 6, notched pivot 5, segment 4, project-ions3, pintle 2 on lever s, armature t, magnet 13 on wire (1, body portion a, and extension portion 6 of the main cir- 5 cuit, extension-box f, and battery d on the body portion of said main circuit, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 6th day of February, 1889.

JOHN I SPEIOI-IER. FREDERICK T. FEAREY. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, W. C. WALSH. 

